


Conversation with Crookshanks

by tqpannie



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Action/Adventure, Fluff, Friendship, Hogwarts Era, Romance, The Quidditch Pitch: From Diagon Alley to Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-09-04
Updated: 2005-09-04
Packaged: 2018-10-25 13:08:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10764909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tqpannie/pseuds/tqpannie
Summary: Ron gets detention for Hermione





	Conversation with Crookshanks

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Annie, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Quidditch Pitch](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Quidditch_Pitch), which went offline in 2015 when the hosting expired, at a time I was not able to renew it. I contacted Open Doors, hoping to preserve the archive using an old backup, and began importing these works as an Open Doors-approved project in April 2017. Open Doors e-mailed all authors about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Quidditch Pitch collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thequidditchpitch/profile).

“Twenty five points from Gryffindor,” Snape bellowed as he stood directly in front of Hermione. “I’ve repeatedly told you Miss Granger, you are not to help Potter with his potions.”

Ron studied Hermione silently from across the desk and was surprised to see her square her shoulders. She lifted her head up to meet Professor Snape’s gaze evenly.

“Professor—you told me not to help Neville,” she said firmly. “You said nothing about helping Harry.”

Ron winced as the words tumbled from her mouth and waited for the explosion that was sure to follow in their wake. Snape was infuriated. He opened his mouth to speak and then pressed his lips together forcing them into a thin line.

“Miss Granger,” he said through clenched teeth, “I suggest you stop right there. You are already an insufferable know-it-all and an unattractive one at that!”

Ron heard Malfoy snickering behind him and felt his stomach clench in rage. Hermione was still staring at Snape, but he could see the telltale signs of a blush starting at the base of her neck.

“Perhaps,” Snape snarled, “You should stop trying to impress Mr. Potter with your brains and work on your glamour spells.” With a flourish of his robes Snape whirled away from her.

The Slytherins took Snape’s words to heart and immediately burst out laughing. Ron heard Pansy whispering to Draco that there was no glamour spell in the world that would make Hermione pretty.

Ron’s eyes darted back and forth between Snape and Hermione—Snape looked extraordinarily pleased with himself while Hermione was biting her lip and fighting back tears. A fresh wave of rage threatened to boil over and Ron clenched his empty potion vial shattering it completely. He was grateful for the charmed glass and he jumped when Hermione turned to him and laid her hand on his arm and he could see the shine of tears welling in her eyes.

“Don’t Ron,” she whispered, “I’m not worth getting detention over.”

The bell rang before he could respond and they gathered their books. It was then the plan formed in Ron’s head—maybe he couldn’t say anything in front of the class but he would be damned if he was going to let Snape get away with this. He left his book bag sitting on the floor and scooted it under the table so that Harry and Hermione wouldn’t notice before trailing behind them out the door. No one spoke as they made their way towards the Great Hall and he decided now was the perfect time to put his plan into motion.

“Bloody hell—I was distracted and left my bag!”

He turned and took off down the hallway towards the Potions classroom. He heard Harry calling out behind him but he kept going. He was on a mission and he was determined not to fail.

He stopped outside the classroom to catch his breath and glanced inside. Snape was sitting at his desk marking up essays. Ron entered the room quietly and was surprised when Snape raised his head.

“Well Weasley—you’re nothing if not predictable.”

Ron was relieved when his usual blush did not creep downward from his ears and he glared at Snape. The fury he had held back returned full force.

“Sir, I was wondering—do you think it’s really appropriate do be insulting students about things that are so personal?”

Snape’s nostrils actually flared and he seemed to weigh his response carefully.

“That, Mr. Weasley is really none of your business.”

Ron fought back the urge to leap over the desk and hit the greasy git outright. He was Head Boy and had no desire to lose that position or to be expelled, but he couldn’t keep silent. It might be better for all concerned if he did but serving a detention for putting Snape in his place didn’t seem like a bad trade off.

“Oh,” Ron said through clenched teeth, “I’m sorry Sir, but I think it is very much my business when you’re insulting my best friend.”

Snape sat back in his chair and whispered something softly. Pictures and images flowed from the past washed over Ron’s mind and he threw up a blocking curse causing Snape to tumble backwards in his chair.

“Honestly, did you really think Harry wouldn’t have taught us how to protect ourselves from that handy trick you and Voldemort seem to have mastered?”

Ron surprised himself by saying Voldemort’s name and Snape wince as he stood up. He could see the surprise in Snape’s eyes but it was quickly masked with a look of fury.

“Mr. Weasley—you are close to being expelled here—what exactly is it that you want?”

Ron paused because he hadn’t really thought of what he expected to have happen when he confronted Snape. He had only wanted not to see that particular look on Hermione’s face again—he never wanted her to say that she wasn’t worth fighting for again—she was always more than worth it.

“I want you to apologize to Hermione—she didn’t do anything to warrant your comments.”

“Weasley—Miss Granger is an insufferable know-it-all. This is my classroom and I will not apologize to her.”

Ron felt his stomach clench in anger. Snape would apologize and he would do it in front of the entire classroom. What he was about to do could be construed as blackmail—but sometimes you have to fight dirty for what was right and fair.

“Professor—I spent a great deal of time with Sirius Black the summer before fifth year. I think there are quite a few things that happened when you were at school together that would amuse the class.” Ron said as his heart raced, “What was it they called you?”

Snape’s face went pale and Ron turned his back to go throwing his book bag over his shoulder. He paused at the door and without looking back he drove home his point.

“I think a lot of people might like to know all about the mark on your arm too.”

He stepped out into the hallway and heard Snape throw something against the wall.

Snape was behind him before he could get more than a hundred yards up the hallway.

“Weasley—detention for trying to blackmail a Professor—see Filch for your assignment!” Snape roared.

“Fine—I’ll take the detention but keep in mind what I said.”

He took off down the hall towards the Great Hall and his mouth twitched upwards into a smile. He may have gotten a detention but bloody hell he had bested Snape and Snape knew it.

~

The common room was empty when Ron arrived back from detention. It was nearly one in the morning and he had spent the last five hours cleaning the owlery without magic. He had left there and gone to the Prefects bathroom and cleaned up a bit. He wasn’t sure he could even make it up the stairs to his room. He flopped down on the sofa and groaned as the muscles in his back throbbed. Crookshanks who had been sleeping curled up in the chair by the fire leap up and gave him a nasty stare.

“Oh don’t you start on me too,” Ron growled, “Your mum already let me have it for getting detention.”

Crookshanks padded towards the couch and leapt onto Ron’s chest. He peered down at him, his gold eyes penetrating into Ron’s. Ron suddenly had the feeling Crookshanks could read his mind and he really didn’t like it.

“Knock it off. If you want to know I’ll tell you, but stop staring at me!”

Crookshanks mewed and for some reason it seemed to be Ron’s cue to start talking.

“Your mum is really hacked off with me because I wouldn’t tell her why Snape gave me detention.”

Crookshanks glared down at him again almost reproaching him. Ron was surprised when Crookshanks hissed softly and tightened his claws in his jumper.

“Hey! Knock that off—I had a good reason for not telling her.”

Ron shook his head and tried to gather his thoughts. It entered his mind briefly that he should probably be telling Hermione this, but he had to get it off his chest now.

“She thinks she’s not worth getting a detention over! I mean honestly, how could she think that? She’s beautiful, brilliant, and worth the worst punishment that Snape could think of.”

Crookshanks mewed in agreement and Ron continued.

“I love her—I really do,” Ron said softly, “She infuriates me, astounds me, and arouses me to the point where I can’t think. I can’t stand to see her cry and don’t get me started on how I feel every time she mentions bloody Vicky.”

Ron was surprised when Crookshanks nuzzled his chin with his head. It seemed that Crookshanks was trying to comfort him and Ron scratched the top of Crookshanks head.

“Snape is a fuck wit—insulting her that way and making her cry. I almost told him so instead I threatened him with blackmail.”

He fell silent for a moment and stared into the fire. He wondered if he would ever work the courage up to tell Hermione how he felt—that she haunted his dreams and his thoughts. He loved the way she twirled a stray curl and bit her lip when she was studying, the way her eyes flashed when he argued with her, and the way she was always there for him—no matter how big of a prat he was being.

“Crookshanks do you think she could ever feel the same way?”

Ron’s heart pounded in his chest when a familiar voice rang out in the common room. His palms went sweaty and he felt the blush creeping downwards across his face.

“Maybe she’d tell you how she feels—if you talked to her instead of her cat.”

Crookshanks jumped off his chest and approached Hermione cautiously. He rubbed against her bare legs that were covered by her dressing gown and then bounded up the stairs.

“You shouldn’t have tried to blackmail Snape,” she said softly her eyes not quite meeting his. “Why would you do that?”

Ron swallowed as she crossed the room and kneeled down on the floor in front of him. He could smell a hint of vanilla wafting from her still damp curls and he shivered when she licked her lips.

“Err…ummm…I can’t stand to see you cry and well you deserve an apology.”

Hermione peered at him in the same manner Crookshanks did. The look on her face was a mixture of annoyance and affection and Ron continued in a hurry.

“I guess I umm… fancy you and I know you don’t feel the same…but you’re brilliant and I can hardly keep myself from kissing you.”

He thought if he said it all real quickly that his words wouldn’t register, but much to his horror they did and he didn’t think it was possible for his face to grow hotter but it did.

“So what’s stopping you?”

He searched her eyes and finally saw what he was looking for—acceptance, anticipation, and something he felt might be mirrored in his own—love.

He slid his hand to the back of her neck and pulled her forward until his lips were inches from his. He could smell a hint of the perfume he hand given her for Christmas in fifth year and it was driving him mad. His gaze fell to her lips and he almost whimpered when her tongue darted out to moisten them. He forced his gaze back to her eyes and was mesmerized by what was in them.

“Are you sure? If we cross this line—Hermione there will be no going back—I couldn’t take it.”

“Ron—shut up and kiss me.”

He pressed his lips to hers and suddenly the world tilted on its axis as fire shot through him. He heard her whimper as their lips touched and she parted her lips to deepen the kiss taking him by surprise. Her tongue darted out to trace along his lips and he moaned deep in his chest. This was better than Quidditch, chocolate frogs, and it was so much better than his dreams. He broke the kiss when he became desperate for air and he noticed that her lips were swollen from his kisses—her eyes glazed and unfocused.

He sat up and took her hands in his pulling her to her feet. He kissed the fingertips of both hands and inched closer to her.

“Hermione?”

“I fancy you too, Ron.”

They stood there for what seemed like an eternity simply staring in each other’s eyes until Ron lowered his head to kiss her softly again. He found this kiss to be ever bit as passionate as the other but it held something more—a promise of future kisses and of love.

She pulled away from and he forced himself not to pull her back against his body. She lifted her hand to push the fringe off his forehead and kisses his cheek.

“We should go to bed…it’s late…”

Ron didn’t want to go to bed. He wanted to keep her in his arms because now that he’d held her he wasn’t going to let her go. Logic warred with need in his head and he finally nodded his head in affirmation.

“Just so you know—I don’t want to let you go,” he whispered.

“I don’t want to either, but we have class tomorrow,” she said and brushed her lips against his before turning and heading up to the stairs.

“I love you, Hermione,” he called out behind her.

“I love you too.”

He heard her running up the stairs and he pumped his arm up and down in victory.

Detention for Hermione was more than worth it.


End file.
